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Words: Joe Jackson Photos: Aaron Schmidt The Wild and Scenic stretch of Oregon’s Lower Rogue could well be defined as a crossover river. Ambling miles of emerald Class II punctuated with whoop-worthy Class III (and the occasional Class IV drop) make it a perfect place for beginner whitewater boaters to cross into the intermediate range. This heavenly protected stretch made famous by the likes of author Zane Grey and Meryl Streep (a la The River Wild) also toes the line between rugged and luxurious. Deep in the canyon, outfitters such as Rogue Wilderness Adventures serve rib-eye steaks to clients reclining on inflatable couches. This dichotomous stretch of river was the perfect testing ground for a quiver of four crossover kayaks. Our group of C&K staffers and regular contributors spent three long summer days on the Rogue, evaluating how each of these boats would serve as a do (almost) everything river craft. Over these 34 low-stress miles we sprinted in flatwater, dropped the crossovers’ retractable skegs to drift, peeled in and out of every eddy, and left no riffle unsurfed. In the evenings, we compared notes over delicious local craft brew from Ninkasi. After we left the Wild and Scenic section, we

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By Colin Kemp Becoming a well-rounded paddler requires learning a mix of hard skills (such as bracing, throw rope practice, strokes) and soft skills (such as reading water). All too often, however, the soft skills get left behind in today’s world of instant gratification. The stability and maneuverability of modern boats may have helped kayakers build hard skills, but the evolution of gear does not let you cheat the progression of the soft skills, which take time and practice. Learning to read water is just like learning to speak a new language. Not only do you need to be able to say the words, but also you need to understand what the other person is saying to have a good conversation. If you make time to develop the three ‘Ps’ of reading water, you will continue to build your vocabulary and be a better boater for it. Practice! You will never learn to read water if you don’t stop, get out of your boat, and scout a rapid. Even if it is a rapid you’ve run dozens of times before but have never scouted, you may be amazed by what you find. Hone the soft skill of anticipating how various currents

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Day trips are paddling gateways. They mark the transition from casual after work paddles to the soul altering journeys of discovery that make sea kayaking, canoeing, and whitewater lifelong pursuits. The skills you learn from day tripping—gear selection, navigation, group dynamics and more complex paddle strokes to handle your craft in varying conditions—will serve you well in the future, and pave the way to longer overnight and multiday trips. Before you dive into this list of our favorite day trip destinations, heed this warning: You are about to take the first step toward becoming hopelessly addicted to paddling. Tallahassee, Fla. Floating Florida Santa Cruz, Calif. California Wild Asheville, N.C. Easy Eastern Whitewater Hessel, Mich. Sea Kayaking an Inland Sea Algonquin Park, Ontario The Heart of Canoe Country

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BY JIM BAIRD After the last portage on the Adlatok, we began our 14-mile ocean paddle to Hopedale, flanked by the rugged, treeless terrain of the Labrador coast. When we felt wind on the back of our necks, we quickly rigged up sails. Ted came up with a sail system earlier in the trip and we’d used it successfully several times. The beauty of this sail rig is that it can be set up and taken down very quickly. No one needs to hold the sail or operate it, meaning both people can paddle or fish. Here’s how it’s done: Paddles Up: Wedge a paddle on either side of the canoe between your carrying yoke and gear. Use rope or carabiner clips to further secure them if need be. You can also place the paddles in the bow in front of the carrying handle. Bag It: Slip a thick grade carpenter’s garbage bag over the two paddles. Sail on, sail on: This setup works best with the wind at your back. The beauty of this sail rig is that it can be set up and taken down very quickly. No one needs to hold the sail or operate it, meaning both

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How do you follow up 2,400 miles of “pure adventure” paddling the length of the Mississippi River? If you’re Denver-based adventurer Rich Brand, you move on to saltwater, and set out to sea kayak the entire west coast of the United States. Brand is the man behind Captured Heartbeats, movement that seeks to “inspire others to adventure while photographing the people, culture and environment.” After traveling and photographing much of North America by Jeep and motorcycle, he made his first kayak journey in 2014—a Mississippi source to sea. With the Ol’ Muddy behind him, Brand launched his sea kayak in Seattle in early May. We caught up with Brand on the Oregon coast, midway through his 1,000-mile journey to San Diego. CanoeKayak.com: What was the impetus for Captured Heartbeats? Rich Brand: It’s more than just traveling. It’s the ability to meet and be part of people’s lives. I have been welcomed by so many different lives and lifestyles. I interpret this as being able to see and experience the heartbeats of their lives. When the opportunity allows, I like to capture those through imagery. When did you get into paddling? I see up until the Mississippi, most of your travels were motorized.

Hudson River, NY

When it comes to planning a paddling destination, it’s easy to overlook the Hudson River. Its waters flow by cities and towns with some 11 million people, hardly the stuff of adventure and getting away from it all. But the Hudson is more than metropolitan. Along this river can be found 100-foot-high waterfalls, hills rising 1,400 feet, quiet hamlets whose “Holly, Dolly” streets have changed little in a century, pristine northwoods wilderness, and wildlife-filled freshwater and saltwater marshes in which to meander. It’s remarkable that in such a populous area, one often feels very much alone on the river, thousands of miles from everyday life, reliving a bygone era when only Native American canoes plied these waters.

Adventurers will find that the Hudson is more than just a river. It is actually a sea-level fjord, a long arm of the Atlantic Ocean whose tidal forces reach far inland. Indeed, the Mohicans’ name for the Hudson was Muhheakunnuk-the river that flows two ways. Whether headed north or south, a paddler wise in the ways of the river’s flood and ebb currents can get a boost of 2.5 to 3 miles an hour. Like any other river, the Hudson can be benign and lazy. But weather can disturb its calmness in a matter of minutes, turning a leisurely paddle into a race for life. Local paddlers respect the Hudson’s whims and never take anything for granted.

I have paddled every inch of the Hudson River over the past 15 years. I’ve been out on brutally hot days when I was forced off the water by noon and on frigid days when I dodged ice floes churned up in the wake of a passing Coast Guard icebreaker. The river never ceases to offer new surprises. Paddling the Hudson is like eating an artichoke. Peel off a leaf and you find a more delectable one underneath.

The Hudson is not homogeneous. You’ll find that it offers great variety along its course. As a general rule, the changes correspond roughly with the location of its bridges. There are just eight bridges in the 145 miles between Albany and New York City. The mile marker at each bridge indicates its distance from the Battery, or lower tip of Manhattan. Here is a taste of what you can expect:

Albany to Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge (Mile 135) This part of the river is so narrow it’s hard to believe that it can be the same one you see alongside Manhattan. Here, the shoreline is marked by remnants of a failed attempt to create dikes and thereby force the river to dig its own channel in order to carry industrial traffic. Dredging has been necessary to keep Albany open as a major seaport. Yet despite this being a commercial artery to the sea, the surroundings have a bayou-country flavor. Trees droop lazily over swampy banks, and there are few buildings or houses.

Castleton to Rip Van Winkle Bridge (Mile 114) Here, the river starts to broaden. Old industrial towns emerge along the shore. The city of Hudson, 120 miles from the ocean, was once one of the world’s busiest whaling ports. Captains brought home so many fine furnishings from their world travels that the town is now a thriving antiques center. Many islands dot the shore on both sides. Others are called islands, but don’t try to go around them: they are now connected to the shore through natural silting. Located here is Hudson River Islands State Park, one of the growing number of official Greenway Water Trail campsites along the river.

Rip Van Winkle to Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge (Mile 95) The river broadens even more in this section, and the 4,000-foot-high northern Catskills loom to the west. Larger towns appear, as well as major plants from the days when this was the world’s leading cement supplier. Even so, the setting remains mostly natural. Lovely marshes at Tivoli Bays invite exploration. When I first paddled this stretch of the river I was surprised to learn that the northward flood current is almost as strong as it is 100 miles away at the river’s mouth.